Page 1486 - Week 04 - Thursday, 4 April 2019
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(7) What weight is given to the wishes of the child, and how are these wishes assessed in the case of a decision to disrupt a stable placement.
(8) Has the ACT Government made the decision to disrupt any stable out-of-home care placements in the past twelve months; if yes, how many and why.
Ms Stephen-Smith: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) Yes.
(a) A stable attachment to an adult caregiver is important for the healthy development of all children. A stable placement is needed to provide a sense of safety and security. Without this, children can live in fear which can have negative outcomes for their physiological, cognitive, social, emotional and relational development.
(2) There is research indicating that children who do not receive stability in the first five years of life while the brain is undergoing its most rapid development can have poorer outcomes than those who might experience instability later in life. The longer a child has been in a stable placement, the more grief and loss they are likely to experience if that placement is disrupted.
(3) The presence of a secure attachment early in life can mitigate or buffer some of the effects of adverse experiences. However, children who have experienced early adversity and trauma are particularly vulnerable to experiencing severe consequences if they have formed a stable relationship with a caregiver that is then disrupted, particularly if they experience multiple placements. These attachment disruptions can lead to disorganised ways of responding in future relationships, which often include aggressive, controlling and manipulative interactions.
(4) Decisions regarding the most appropriate placement for a child in out of home care are complex and must consider the short and long-term impact on the child. All decisions are made with careful consideration of a number of factors, including the best interest principles and placement priorities outlined in the Children and Young People Act 2008, the views and wishes of the child where this is possible, and the views of other interested adults involved with the child.
From time to time circumstances change and individual placements are reviewed to ensure the best interests of a child or young person. Circumstances that might warrant the need to consider a placement change could include a serious event within a carer household, identification and location of appropriate kin, a decision of the Court, or the wishes of the child or young person.
(5) As stated in (4) above, a child’s best interest is dependent on the individual needs of the child and each decision is made through an assessment of their circumstances and impacting factors. Decision makers within Child and Youth Protection Services are guided by the Children and Young People Act 2008:
• Section 349, What is in the best interest of child or young person;
• Section 350, Care and protection principles; and
• Section 513, Priorities for placement with out of home carer – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child or young person.
Decision makers also consider all aspects of the child’s life including current circumstances balanced with the best interests both in the short and long-term.
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